Below is just a small sampling of children who have been killed by their parents or primary caregivers because they were autistic. I did not include the children that were killed intentionally or accidentally by law enforcement (tasering) or by educational or care facilities where the child died as a result of excessive restraint, dehydration or abuse. I submit these names in loving memory of the victims of domestic violence that has attempted to hide beneath the diagnosis of autism. Make no mistake, these children and young adults were victims of domestic violence. The only thing that separates them is the fact that they also were autistic.

Angelica Auriemma (Age 20, died 5 Dec. 2003) Drowned by her mother, Ioanna Auriemma. She told police, “I wanted to electrocute my child. That didn’t work. I began to submerge her in water,” she continued. “She said, ‘I’m scared.’ There wasn’t much of a struggle.” Auriemma was convicted of manslaughter.

Casey Albury (Age 17, died 1997) Strangled by her mother, Janine Albury Thomson. Thomson was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 5 months. After strangling her daughter, Thomson placed her daughters body into her car and drove her to the police station. She told the police, “I did it. I strangled my daughter. She was a misfit. People were scared of her because she was different. I wish it could have been quicker. I’d wanted to kill her for a long time.”

Charles-Antoine Blais (Age 6, died Nov. 1996) Drowned by his mother, Danielle Blais. Convicted of manslaughter. Blais was sentenced to 23 months (suspended) and 1 year in a halfway house.

Eric Bland (Age 38, 2004) Starved to death by his sister, Kimberly Loebig. Loebig was convicted of murder and sentenced to 43 years in prison

Gabriel Britt (Age 6, died 3 March 2001) Beaten and suffocated by his father, Terrence Britt. Britt pled guilty to manslaughter and received a 10 year sentence which was suspended and 4 years of probation.

Terrance Cottrell, Jr. (Age 8, died 22 Aug. 2003) Suffocated by Rev. Ray Hemphill during an exorcism ritual to rid the demons possessing Terrance Cottrell, Jr. Hemphil was convicted of physical abuse of a child and reckless endangerment. He was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison, 7 1/2 years of probation, ordered to pay $1,200.00 in restitution and ordered by the court to “refrain from performing exorcisms until he receives “extensive training” in them.

James Joseph Cummings, Jr. (Age 46, died 16 Nov. 1999) Stabbed to death inside of a residential care facility by his father, James Cummings, Sr. Cummings was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 5 years in prison

Jason Dawes (Age 10, died Aug. 2003) Strangled by his mother, Daniela Dawes. Dawes was convicted of manslaughter and given 5 years of probation.

Christopher DeGroot (Age 19, died 19 May 2006) Burned alive by his parents, Nicolas Dirk DeGroot and Agnes Elizabeth DeGroot. The DeGroots’ pled guilty to criminally negligent homicide. They were each sentenced to 6 months in jail. Christopher DeGroot lived for 5 days before dying from his injuries.

Marcus Fiesel (Age 3, died August 2006) Died of hyperthermia and dehydration after being bound in a blanket with tape and left in an un-air conditioned closet for two days by his foster parents, Liz and David Carroll. Liz was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 54 years to life in prison. David Carroll was sentenced 16 years in prison.

Lillian Leilani Gill (Age 4, died March 2002) Strangled by her (adoptive) mother, Sharon Michelle Gill. Gill was convicted of voluntary manslaughter, burglary and the willful harm of a child. She was sentenced to 14 years in prison, 4 years of probation and ordered to pay $10,000.00 in restitution.

Daniel Leubner (Age 13, died 4 Sept. 1999) Burned alive by his mother, Michelle Davis. Davis was convicted of manslaughter and arson. She was sentenced to 6 years in prison.

Katherine McCarron (Age 3, died 13 may 2006) Smothered by her mother, Dr. Karen McCarron. Dr. McCarron was convicted of first degree murder, obstruction of justice, and concealing a homicidal death on January 17, 2008. She was sentenced to 36 years in prison

Justin Malphus (Age 5, died 19 April 2000) Beaten, tortured and drowned by his mother, Joyce Malphus. Malphus was convicted of felony murder and two counts each of aggravated battery and cruelty to a child in the first degree. She was sentenced to life plus 60 years in prison — the maximum sentence possible.

Patrick Markcrow (Age 36, died 29 March 2005) Poisoned and suffocated by his mother, Wendolyn Markcrow. Markcrow was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 2 years, which was suspended.

Pierre Pasquiou (Age 10, died 28 Dec. 1998) Drowned by his mother, Annie Pasquiou after she pushed him off of a pier into the Atlantic Ocean. Pasquiou was convicted of manslaughter and given a 3 year suspended sentence.

Jacob Grabe (Age 13, Died 12 September 2008) Shot to death by his father, Allen Grabe. Grabe has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

Ulysses Stable (Age 12, died 22 Nov. 2006) Throat slit by his father, Jose Stable. When Stable called police, he told them, “I’ve terminated the life of my autistic child. I just couldn’t take it anymore. My son is just a handful. He’s a burden.” Jose Stable has been charged with second degree murder and is awaiting trial.

Tiffany Pinckney (Age 23, died 2 April 2005) Starved to death by her sister, Allison Cox and her husband Orlando Klass. Mr Klass pleaded guilty to the charge of criminal negligence causing death. He was sentenced to two years of house arrest. Cox was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 9 years in prison.